West Penn Today - The back Line

[Edward H. Lybarger]

I have a major pet peeve.  It involves the continued use of the highly
pompous and insulting "THE West Penn," "THE This," "THE That" that railfans
like to use to assert their familiarity with subjects.  Yes, some of the
companies promoted themselves like this, West Penn included, in the early
years.  It was a promotional tactic employed to intimidate the public into
believing a company was more important and/or more powerful than was
actually the case. But West Penn had the good taste to cease it at an early
date and call themselves the West Penn System or the West Penn Railways
Company, as appropriate, which frankly sound more prosperous that the phony
appellation.  Besides, the other is bad English.

OK, nothing personal, but it needed to be said.

Colors:  Phillips route - white on green; Masontown - red on cream;
Dickerson Run - black on yellow; Latrobe - white on green.  I think FWS has
done the rest of the list.

Onward through Phillips:  Beyond West Place lies Jordan (or Jourdan, on the
R/W maps) Wye.  The line continued about a block east of present 51 through
Oliver.  Now the alignment through here is different because of the bypass
construction and some of the 51 that I knew in the '60s has been abandoned
north of new 119, in the vicinity of Marsolino Construction.  North of here
the car line was on what is now northbound 51.  Both arches have been filled
in and the creek rerouted.  Wismer took a nice picture at Phillips mine in
1950; I have a then and now shot here in the current exhibit at PTM.  The
mine property is being cleaned out, beginning spring 2000 (right after I
took my "now" photo).  Phillips Siding sat at Second Street (there's a
photo) but there's no record except for the company map of the next mile to
Vance's Mill.  There were two bridges in the wilderness here, one over a
stream and one over one of the many rail lines in this lowland, but no
photos until you get to the bridge at Vance's Mill proper.

State (not County) Route (not Road) 1043 gets you in there, but to see the
north end of the last-mentioned trestle, quickly turn right on SR 1018 and
look right about 600 feet in.  Look left, too, and you'll see the R/W going
off into the jungle.  I think the concrete Fred speaks of was RR in origin;
there were 3 or 4 spurs that all came together in this area.  Bitner
abandoned?  It didn't seem that way about March, when I was last there.
It's just small!  But the car line was on the hill to the east, beyond the
coke ovens and the creek.  There was a siding in the woods, of which I have
one very poor picture, just opposite the patch.

The next siding was north of the Elm Grove road crossing, and as you may
imaging was isolated, too.  There are lots of photos here.  This was the
site of a derailment of a chartered car in the late '40s that has been
erroneously quoted as having been at Gallagher.  There was no siding close
by to the north of Juniata; I think Fred's informer meant Elm Grove, which
was in fact very close to Juniata but to the south.  But Fred's describing
Juniata Road stop; no siding was there.  Wismer took a picture of a car on
the fill just south of the Elm Grove road crossing.

The intersection of SRs 1047 and 1051 is known as Graham's Crossing, or
Fuehrer's stop.  Over the years, there were a number of changes to the
trolley alignment through the area around Leisenring; the Frick archives
produced the maps.  The big arena features roller skating on the west side
of the building and ice skating on the east.

It's probably time to go to work; hope you've enjoyed this morning's
commentary.  And I didn't mean to offend anyone with the diatribe.

Ed

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
[mailto:owner-pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org]On Behalf Of
Fredbruhn at aol.com
Sent: Saturday, July 08, 2000 8:46 PM
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Subject: West Penn Today - The back Line


In my ramblings to date I have assumed that everyone in this group is as
enthusastic about the WP as I am and have all the available publications,
etc. that I make reference to now and then.  To recap, I have CERA 89 and
110, the 1952 PERC West Penn booklet, the PTM booklet with orange cover and
711 at Huff titled
West Penn Railways, and perhaps the Feb. 1950 Trains mag.  I am looking for
a
second copy of 89 as a backup, and have seen 110 on ebay several times if
you
need a copy.  I have a lead on one now if someone is short.  The Feb. 1950
Trains is what got my juicies going over WP, and they have never stopped.
You might find a copy from Paul Gibson, 11 Downingwood Dr. Franklin, MA
02038-2768.  His email is Railpub at aol.com and if he has a copy can quote
price and shipping.  This was not usual for Trains to run a  featured
traction article, although they did from time to time.
I also have a couple of old Railroad mag. articles on the West Penn I pick
up
info from.

After covering the branches to Brownsville and Martin, a look at the
Fairchance line and around Uniontown, I decided to tackle the "Back Line"
next.  This line ran from Uniontown to Connellsville as did the  "Main Line"
but covered the route in a big semi circle leaving Uniontown via the bridge
that is well photographed that took the lines over the railroad.  There is a
good photo on page 17 of the orange cover book that shows how the Footedale
branch was cut after those branches were terminated.
End of service dates for what we have covered (from the PERC booklet of
1952)
are
1-28-50 Brownsville, 2-4-50 Martin, and 3-25-50 Fairchance.  The back line
lasted another year to 1-20-51 when it and its branch to Dawson/Dickerson
Run
were closed.

Destinaton signs were color coded - and I have been told or read that they
were because many of the riders read or understood little English.
>From the PERC booklet, the main line was white on red, Irwin white on
black,
Fairchance black on yellow, and those are all that I know.

The back line carried a destination sign of CONNELLSVILLE, LEISENRING,
JUNIATA, OLIVER, PHILLIPS,  UNIONTOWN.   I didn't cover the earlier lines so
I better now,  the Fairchance line was: UNIONTOWN - HOPWOOD - FAIRCHANCE,
while Brownsville read: UNIONTOWN, NEW SALEM, ORIENT, REPUBLIC, BROWNSVILLE.
    The Martin line which appears to be a dark letter on a light
background reads: MARTIN - MASONTOWN -LECKRONE - FOOTEDALE - REVERE -
UNIONTOWN.  The most common sign, while we are on the subject, was the
UNIONTOWN - CONNELLSVILLE - SCOTTDALE - Mt. PLEASANT - GREENSBURG.

All of this wasn't part of my trip but we are all up to speed (there are
more
signs, like to Trafford and Latrobe we will cover later).

I started my trip over the back line on SR51 at about the point I thought
the
bridge ended that carried the line out of Uniontown.  Find your way to SR51,
which is just west of the terminal, and head north which will show signs for
Phillips and Oliver.
There is a short street that goes off to the right at a shallow angle that
is
West Place.  I took it as the map in the orange book showed the bridge and
wye just beyond the end of that street.  I didn't get out and walk beyond
the
end of the road and in hindsight I think you should as you might find
something interesting.  The map shows the line running between a creek and
the railroad and the highway, well off the highway.  I doubt route 51 was as
wide as it is today.  I didn't find anything at Oliver, and at Phillips I
began to get frustrated so I drove into the town which is about three
streets
of small homes and rolling West Virginia estates.  The streets end in a loop
and my assumption is the car line was beyond the town either in the field or
further.
Oliver and Phillips are not too far out of Uniontown and it is save to
assume
the line sort of paralleled Route 51.

When you see the sign for County Road 1043, take it to the right.  This is a
narrow very rural road and after you have been on it a short while keep your
eye looking right and you should see a concrete bridge beyond a field sort
of
in the woods.  I didn't get out and walk through the field as there were
cows
with calves and I know these moms have no tolerance for railroad fans, in
spite of how dedicated they are.
I assume this was the WP, but it may have been a railroad spur.  You can
look
in the orange book and see on page  32 a relatively open scene, fields,
probably woods beyond the fields and this is what I expected.  Wrong.  Keep
driving and the road winds and it is heavily wooded today.  From
conversations though, I am assured the line ran to your right as you
proceed.
 Don't give up because you will be rewarded later on with some nice sights.

Follow the road towards Bitner.  You will come into the town which is almost
abandoned, but the company/town store is there and worth some photos.  I was
told
(by a source I will identify later who is reliable - if her memory is) the
car line ran behind the store, sort of on the other side of a shallow area
sort of on the hill.
Bitner was a stop.  (Prior to Bitner was Vance's Mill which is mentioned in
West Penn literature, but I assume it is gone today).  Continue on through
Elm Grove.
You didn't see it, well neither did I.  It is gone as I was told and I drove
up and down a road or two around there and found nothing of the West Penn or
Elm Grove.  Now watch for signs to Juniata, as you will be turning right off
of the road you were on.
Go through Juniata and then begin looking to your right on the hill across
the valley and you will finally pick up the line via the pole line and a
defined fill.  Continue on
and you will see the right of way drop down and cross the road you are on.
I got out to take a photo and was accosted  by a local resident  (probably
thought I was the IRS) who after I told him what I was looking for and doing
he calmed down.
In fact, he told me there was a siding at this road crossing, heard it from
his father.
OK.   This is the right of way, and turn 180 degrees and beside a white
garage
well back from a house is the right of way beginning a very steep and long
climb.
Continue on this road (T626) until you come to a wye in the road.  T626
actually ends at this point, but it is graded like a wye.  You want to turn
left here and start up
the hill.  This is Little Summit Road and you take it to the top of the hill
where there is a church on your left.  Just beyond the church you will see
the West Penn coming up to crest the hill and cross the road here at Little
Summit.  It was Mothers Day and I hated to bother the nice ladies ready for
church, but I did.  I asked the oldest looking lady waiting to enter the
church if she remembered the West Penn.  Oh yes, it came right up that hill
(which I now knew) and the stop was just across the road.
She said there was a shelter there and was my source for the Bitner info.

Walk up to the right of way and look towards Connellsville and you can see a
dirt road but also along the pole line a depression where the line started
down a hill.
Continue on this road past a few houses and it will dead end into road 1047.
Turn right onto 1047 and watch on your right for the line as it is
descending
the hill from Little Summit.  It is visible.  Then you lose it in the woods
for a bit and it reappears
beside a house on your right that is brown and sets back from the road.  You
are almost at the intersection of 1047 (which you are on) and 1051 where you
will stop.
It looked to me as the line came down to cross 1047 just past that house,
and
swung left above road 1051 and right in front of a stone barn which also is
well above
the road.  You turn left from 1047 onto 1051 and you are now heading for
Leisenring No. 1.  The right of way is on your left above the road, but as
you approach the jjunction it drops down to the road grade and to
Vanderbilt
Junction where the Dickerson Run cars turned off.  There is a great Lester
Wismer photo that was one of the PTM calendar shots showing both a Dickerson
Run car and Back Line car at this jjct.  The H.C. Frick Coke Co.(across the
road from the jct.) facility is gone and the property occupied by - you
would
never guess - a hugh roller skating rink.

We will take the line into Connellsville as part of my Dickerson Run notes.
My assumption is that in 50 years the woods and trees have matured to the
point that the back line looks much different than it once did.  The
friendly
local at Juniata told me you can walk from the  road crossing quite a ways
along the right of way toward
Bitner.  I don't know what "quite a ways" means.

Between Bitner and Juniata I did see behind a small farm concrete piers from
a small bridge, either the railroad or the West Penn.  I am guessing that
from the road as you are heading towards Juniata, the railroad is first and
then the West Penn.  That is a guess.  Anyway, I stopped and walked down the
this farm owner who was trying to get his power riding mower fixed and asked
him if I could go back and look at the remains of the bridge.  OK he says.
So with dreams of finding a West Penn spike
(I saw a pile of ties) I went through brambles and chest high weeds  to find
these ties, and yes there were tie  plates an a few spikes.  From this I
deducted these ties were railroad, but dragged myself back to the barn and
made further inquiries.
He seemed to remember this was a rail line(he had deposited the ties back
there, errrrg, the urge to kill) and the trolley was beyond on "the hill"
Back I went, this time after the brambles came the mud and water.  I got
partially up the hill but came back with no feeling that I had found the
right of way.  For my efforts I got to stay awhile and help him get his darn
pulley belt on his mower  and I lost a lot of time.

By all means take the time to drive the Back Line, even if you don't find
more than I did.  Its part of the West Penn and there is enough to see to
wet
your appitite for more.

Fred Bruhn